1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to reworking engines for improved performance and, more particularly, to an improved system for modifying the air flow characteristics of air passages within a two-stroke engine for enhanced engine performance.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Over time, the racing industry has experienced a proliferation of fan support and substantial diversification in the types of vehicles involved in racing. A particularly active area within the racing industry involves vehicles powered by two-stoke engines, including but not limited to motorcycles, snowmobiles, personal watercraft, all terrain vehicles (ATV), and karts. A drawback exists, however, in that the air passages in original production cylinders have a standard shape and dimension which, in practice, limits the performance of such two-stroke engines. With an ever increasing premium placed on speed and performance, it is therefore desirable to modify the air flow characteristics of air passages within two-stroke engines to enhance the overall performance capabilities of such vehicles.
One prior art technique for modifying the air passages of two-stroke engines involves manually altering the air passages with hand-tools. While generally effective at modifying the dimension of the air passages for improved engine performance, this technique nonetheless suffers from a host of significant drawbacks. A major disadvantage stems from the fact that the air passages are generally L-shaped with a generally vertical upper portion and generally horizontal lower portion. The generally vertical upper portion of each air passage is readily accessible when the cylinder head is removed, which thereby avails the inner dimensions of the upper portion for modification via inserting and working hand tools within the upper portion. The lower portion of each air passage, on the contrary, extends in a generally horizontal fashion inward toward the cylinder such that hand tools cannot optimally be inserted and worked within the lower portion. As such, the only modifications that can be effectively performed on the air passages are those within the generally vertical upper portion and a limited section of the horizontal lower portion. This disadvantageously restricts the extent to which the overall air flow characteristics of the air passages can be modified, thereby limiting the performance of the two-stroke engine.
A host of further drawbacks stem from the hand-crafting process employed within the aforementioned prior art air passage modification technique. One drawback is that it is extremely difficult to produce consistent results within the air passages given the inherent variations of the hand-crafting process. The process of manually modifying the air passages is also disadvantageously time consuming which, consequently, translates into increased labor and production costs. Labor costs are also heightened under this manual technique due to the fact that the workers conducting the hand-crafting must necessarily be highly trained and skilled to effectuate precise modifications within the air passages.
A need therefore exists for an improved system for modifying the air flow characteristics of air passages within two-stroke engines for enhanced engine performance.